Machine to Machine (M2M) communication (also referred to as “machine-type communications” or “MTC”) may be used in a variety of areas. M2M communication may use a device such as a sensor or meter to collect data which may be relayed through a network (e.g., wireless, wired, or hybrid), as part of a trigger request or in response to a trigger request, to an application that translates the data into meaningful information. In the area of security, M2M communication may be used in surveillance systems, in backup of telephone landlines, in the control of physical accesses (e.g. to buildings), and in car/driver security. In the area of payment systems, M2M communication may be used in point of sales, vending machines, customer loyalty applications, and gaming machines. In the area of remote maintenance/control, M2M communication may be used in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, lighting, pumps, valves, elevator control, vending machine control, and vehicle diagnostics. In the area of metering, M2M communication may be used in applications related to power, gas, water, heating, grid control, and industrial metering. Additionally, M2M communication based on machine type communication (MTC) technology may be used in areas such as customer service.
M2M communications may take advantage of deployed wireless networks based on Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technologies such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-Advanced), and/or other technologies such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) or those developed by the Institute for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and 3GPP2. M2M communications may use networks based on these technologies to deliver business solutions in a cost-effective manner. In a circumstance involving ubiquitous deployment of wireless networks, the availability of the wireless networks may facilitate and/or encourage the deployment and use of M2M.
For MTC Device triggering operation, the network triggers MTC devices to initiate communication with the MTC server based on a trigger indication from the MTC Server. A MTC device receives trigger indications from the network and establishes communication with the MTC server when receiving the trigger indication.
Device Triggering is the means by which a services capability server (SCS) sends information to user equipment (UE) via the third generation partnership project (3GPP) network to trigger the UE to perform application specific actions that include initiating communication with the SCS for the indirect model or an application server (AS) in the network for the hybrid model. Device triggering is required when an IP (internet protocol) address for the UE is not available or reachable by the small computer system interface (SCSI) AS.
Expansion of mobile networks has facilitated growth of M2M communication. Although the amount of trigger requests, triggers, and data sent by M2M devices is very small, a large number of these devices, in combination, may increase load on a network. Thus, a large number of device triggering and small data requests can cause signaling surge in the system and impact on the batter of the UE if the UE toggles between idle mode and connected mode state. This is especially true for mobile data applications that send triggers/small data frequently.